By By KEVIN TRAVIS, Sports Editor
VANCEBORO – Chase Tripp slowly made his way to the Washington Pam Pack locker room. It’s as though Tripp, fighting tears every bitter step of the way, was trying to put off the inevitable — the final game of the season and the last game of his high school career.
Tripp played his heart out, racking up 13 tackles and blocking a PAT. However, Brett Mooring and the high-powered West Craven offense had too much firepower, as the undefeated Eagles rolled to a 28-7 win in Friday’s second round of the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 3-A state playoffs.
The Pack (8-5), the No. 7 seed, didn’t have many answers on defense on a frigid Friday night at Clay Jordan Stadium.
Mooring, who was shut down by Washington during the regular season, accounted for all four of West Craven’s touchdowns. The 6-4, 220-pound senior threw for two scores and ran for two more.
The No. 2 seeded Eagles (13-0) will play host to No. 6 seed SouthWest Edgecombe (10-2), a 47-13 winner over No. 3 seed Kinston (10-3), in next Friday night’s third round.
Mooring (15-of-26, 200 yards) gave the Eagles a quick 6-0 lead when he hit Ryan Murphy with an 18-yard touchdown strike. Murphy had a field day, finishing with seven catches for 157 yards and a pair of scores.
The score came on a fourth-and-eight play, the second time the Eagles converted a fourth-down during the drive. Jamel Meadows (11 carries, 67 yards) had a had runs of 19 and 10 yards during the drive.
Tripp blocked Murphy’s PAT to keep it a 6-0 game.
A 68-yard strike to Murphy one series later set up Mooring’s 3-yard touchdown run. The senior quarterback hit Jaquan Crouell with the 2-point conversion to make it 14-0.
Erik Highsmith intercepted Washington QB Austin Thompson (11-of-22, 104 yards) on the first play of the second quarter and the Eagles capitalized. Mooring 9-yard TD strike to Murphy made it 20-0.
Washington used a couple big pass plays to get into the end zone just before the half. Thompson hit Donte Moore (3 catches, 59 yards) for a 45-yard gain. The Pack then used some trickery to score. Thompson fired a bullet to Mike Moore, who then lofted the ball into the waiting arms of Dakuan Spencer in the end zone for a 20-yard strike.
Justin Meekins tacked on the PAT to pull Washington within 20-7.
The Eagles used a 19-play, 87-yard drive midway through the third to go up 28-7. Mooring’s 3-yard run capped the drive.
The Pack also lost Spencer, arguably Washington’s most explosive player, during the drive with 5:14 still to play in the third quarter. The junior receiver/linebacker/return man didn’t return.
The loss hurt the Pack.
Though not pleased with how the season ended, Sawyer said he was proud of his team.
Washington West Craven
10 First Downs 19
23-83 Rushes-Yards 34-152
124 Passing Yards 222
23-12-2 Pass-Comp-Int 27-16-1
5-34.5 Punting 3-35.3
2-0 Fumbles-Lost 1-0
3-20 Penalties 9-59
Washington 0 7 0 0 — 7
West Craven 14 6 8 0 — 28
Scoring Summary
WC – Brett Mooring 18 pass to Ryan Murphy (kick blocked), 3:53, 1st
WC – Mooring 3 run (Mooring pass to Jaquan Crouell), 0:57, 1st
WC – Mooring 9 pass to Murphy (kick failed), 10:26, 2nd
W – Mike Moore 20 pass to Dakuan Spencer (Justin Meekins kick), 0:00, 2nd
WC – Mooring 3 run (Mooring pass to Bobby Cox), 10:33, 3rd